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U.S. Navy Invests in World’s Largest Solar Farm

The U.S. Navy is investing in what will be the largest solar farm in the world in order to provide power for 14 of its bases.

The climate of Arizona, where the two earlier phases of the Mesquite solar farm are already up and running, provides 300 days of sunshine a year. And the Navy’s deal to extend the farm is the largest purchase of renewable energy ever made by a U.S. federal government agency.

The solar farm project is one of a growing number being installed across what is known as the American Sun Belt-the southern states of America, which have expanding populations, plenty of sunshine but also large areas of arid and unproductive land.

Solar Prices Fall Farm

The price of solar panels has now fallen so far worldwide that, in sunny climes, they can compete on cost with any other form of energy generation. This new generation of huge solar farms produces as much power as a large coal-fired plant.

China and India are also building similarly massive installations, taking advantage of their own sun belts and desert regions. It is doubtful that Mesquite 3, huge as it is, will manage to remain the world’s largest for long.

Barren Land

In the same week that the U.S. Navy disclosed its plans, the central Indian state of Madya Pradesh announced it was to construct a 750 MW plant (one megawatt is roughly enough to supply 1,000 typical British homes) on barren, government-owned land in the country’s Rewa district.

It is claimed that it would be the world’s largest solar plant and the state’s energy minister, Rajendra Shukla, says the plan is to have the plant up and running by March 2017.

A number of other giant projects are also in the pipeline in India, as part of government plans for a dramatic expansion of the industry, although they have yet to be constructed.

REPO Calidornia US Nacy Invests Solar InfoGraphic

Mesquite 3, which will be sited 60 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona, will provide the Navy with 210 MW of direct power. This means the installation of more than 650,000 extra solar panels, which will move to track the sun as it crosses the sky, to get the maximum value from the intense desert sunshine. The Navy says it will save $90 million in power costs over the 25-year lifetime of the contract.

Some solar power plants in India have caused controversy because they need teams of people to wash off the layer of dust and particles from air pollution to keep the panels efficient. This uses a lot of scarce water.

However, in the cleaner desert air of Arizona, this is not a problem. The Navy boasts that Mesquite 3 will require no water, so saving “this precious resource for other needs.”

The building of the plant will require 300 construction workers but it will create only 12 long-term jobs. The plant also avoids controversy because it is sited on “previously disturbed land” and so is not damaging a pristine environment. It is also near existing power plants and transmission lines, so the plant will not need additional infrastructure.

Reduced Emissions

The Navy estimates that the station will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 190,000 tons annually—the equivalent of taking 33,000 cars off the road.

Ray Mabus, the Secretary of State for the Navy, who opened the project, has been pushing hard for renewables to be used for military power generation.

In 2009, the U.S. Department of Defense was instructed by Congress to get 25 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2025 but Mabus accelerated that goal and directed thatone gigawatt (1,000 MW) should be procured by the end of 2015.

The new contract adds to a 17 MW installation at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and another of 42 MW at Kings Bay, Georgia. The Navy says that, in total, its renewable energy procurement will be 1.2 GW by the end of 2015, which is well ahead of target.

It will use the power for Navy and Marine Corps shore installations in California and surrounding states.

Opening the project at one of the installations, the Naval Air Station North Island, in California, Mabus said the project was “a triumph of problem solving” and would help increase the Department of the Navy’s energy security by diversifying the supply.

If you Love a Tiny House, Then You’ll Really Love A Tiny Houseboat!

Have you ever wanted to just up and quit your job, build a boat, and travel the world? Sure, that might seem a little extreme, but maybe one day at least part of the package can come true.

Enter Roy Schreyer of Roy Designed That who designs and builds awesome things. His projects require a great deal of skill, but Roy shares his creations with the world, the hope being that others will give his designs and projects a try too.

That’s why when I came across his DIY tiny houseboat, I was super excited. I’ve always loved boats – there’s something very relaxing about being out on the water. Hours fly by and seem to stand still at the same time. But how cool would it be to have a little boat that you could cruise around in all day, and then instead of having to leave the boat behind at the dock, you can anchor it and spend the night right there. That sounds pretty cool to me.

Roy Schreyer has many designs, but this one is by far my favorite.

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It’s a tiny houseboat. The structure was built with minimalist principles to make the best use out of space.

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One of the benefits of the boat’s size is that you can anchor it almost anywhere! Take off for a weekend or just cruise around the lake for an afternoon.

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It’s actually a lot roomier on the inside than you’d think. With this set up, there’s enough space for several people to sit comfortably.

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The seating area can also be converted into a bedroom. I can just imagine falling asleep to the sound of the waves against the boat. RoyDesignedThat

The steering column is an old-fashioned wooden wheel with spokes that hearken back to the days of tall ships.

RoyDesignedThat

The inside is surrounded by windows so everyone is guaranteed a good view.

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It wouldn’t be a Tiny Houseboat without a space for the most important time of the day – mealtime! In addition to a seating area and a bedroom, the cabin can also be converted into a dining room.

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You can dock this little guy anywhere, including a sandbar for an afternoon picnic.

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Here’s a video of the Tiny Houseboat in action:

Original source: viralnova

Turn A $2000 Shipping Container Into An Epic Off-Grid Home

All you need is around $2000 to begin building one of these epic homes – made from recycled shipping containers! Check out some of these amazing creations!

A luxury home doesn’t always necessarily mean thousands of square footage, towering great rooms and gilded toilets. Take these homes for example: to begin building one of these epic houses, all you need is $2,000. That $2,000 will buy you a shipping container. What you do with that shipping container… well, that’s completely up to you. Some creative people have found a way to transform this rudimentary “room” with metal siding into luxury housing that blows us away. These homes are epic.

1.) A shipping container doesn’t have to be a closed space.

2.) Blue container? Run with it!

3.) Open up the metal boxes and let your imagination run wild.

4.) *jaw drops*

5.) The shapes are basically the same, but wow.

6.) Utilitarian… and awesome.

7.) The best part about this one is that you know they made it out of shipping containers.

8.) This open concept was taken a step further with a sliding garage door.

9.) You don’t rob this house. Ever.

10.) Modern, yet … not.

11.) This is the kind of home that keeps a person happy.

12.) Already-made pool? Yes please.

13.) Recycled materials AND it’s good for the planet.

14.) This collection of containers is just epic.

15.) These are so inspiring.

If you enjoyed these what these people did with their containers then you will love this couple’s new tiny home.

The best part of the gallery that this Reddit user shared? The shipping containers are recycled materials, so you’re actually helping the environment if you invest in making a luxury shipping container home. You can’t beat a base price of $2,000. What a marvellous idea; share it with others by clicking on the Share button above/below this article.